Extricate
by LadyKeyes
Summary: One-shot that explores the idea of what life would look like if the dragon invasion after the Grand Magic Games had succeeded. GaLe. Rated for language.


**A/N: This story is based on the idea of what would have happened if the dragon invasion had succeeded. It picks up over a year after portal deposited thousands of the ancient beasts into Fiore's capital. I don't own Fairy Tail, and you probably don't either. I'm sure we can bond over the anguish. In the mean time I hope you enjoy, please R&amp;R.**

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As the sun began its final descent into the murky oranges and purples on the horizon Gajeel easily found his way through the winding passages in the mountainside that lead to the sprawling caves under the great hill. He rounded the final curve and was greeted by a familiar face standing guard. A short-lived but relieved smile came from Jet's face as Gajeel walked past him. Neither said a word.

The opening tunnels to the underground passages were kept dark at all times. An eerie quiet enveloped the place, one of the many spells in place to keep their hideaway concealed. After a few more steps magical lights began to spring up around him, casting a ghostly glow along the tunnel. The sound of hushed voices and shuffling feet could be heard up ahead. He picked up his pace the moment he could see again. At the first intersection he veered right, then left, then left again before he came to a wooden door. He gave a single polite knock before ushering himself into room.

The space was lit by the same ghostly lights that adorned the previous passageways, although an additional light came from a small lacrima that set on a large, round stone table in the center of the room. Erza stood alongside the stone slab in deep conversation with Kagura. Two of the three Trimens stood opposite the women as they investigated maps and proposed strategies. Lyon, who looked a little worse for wear, sat with his arms crossed as Porlyusica rubbed some sort of salve on a nasty gash that had been cut across his cheek.

Gajeel stepped into the room and beelined his way to Erza. Surprise flitted across her face as the Dragon Slayer walked toward her, but it was quickly lost to anger. Gajeel said nothing as he stopped in front of her and waited to receive his beratement.

"You haven't checked in for weeks." the scarlet haired woman began. "Not a single post has been verified in the last month! Where the hell have you been?"

He lifted a hand from his pocket and opened it. What remained of a broken communication lacrima lay in the palm of his hand. "I had a little run-in with big nasty halfway through the rounds. Crushed your fuckin' lousy device. All posts were in working shape when I left 'em. I've got the recent deaths report, a bunch of reports and a shit-ton of personal letters that I risked my ass to deliver. Mission accomplished."

A hush went over the room as its other inhabitants looked at the man with both hope and fear. The deaths report was never a short list, and judging by the Dragon Slayer's expression, this one would be no different.

"Well done then, Redfox." Erza said authoritatively. "Drop the reports and the letters on the table, I will have Meldy take them from here. You're dismissed." With that she returned to her earlier conversation with Kagura, something about the need for yet another supplies raid.

Gajeel could have caught more of their hushed conversation if he had really wanted to, but he was being compelled elsewhere. He could feel it; her distress. He had been feeling it for weeks, those long weeks where he went to fulfill his duties without means of contact. He had put up his boundary against her connection, but she had kept hers open to him.

As Gajeel walked back down the narrow halls that spread through the underground shelter, he reflected on that connection, that emotional bond that held him to his mate. It was both a blessing and a curse that his adoptive father bestowed on him in rearing the young man as a Dragon Slayer. The dragon trait allowed him and his mate a deeper intimacy emotionally and allowed them to stay connected when separated by long distances. However, this link revealed as much of the negative as it did the positive. While it conveyed the passions and happiness of his mate, so it likewise conveyed the anger and bloodlust he let reign when he fought. It revealed a side of him he didn't want to make her worry about ever again. She had nearly died the first time he let that side of him loose...

While his mind had wandered his feet had carried him to exactly where he wanted to be. Before him stood another door. While the other door had been unadorned, this one held a small metal plate bolted in about three-quarters of the way up. Engraved on the plate was a single word. Redfox.

Around the plate hung a dainty circlet of white flowers with an attached note.

_'Mr. Droy and I made this for you. We hope you are feeling better. Love, Asuka'_

Gajeel allowed himself a small, sappy smile as he thought about the little cowgirl. She had to be nearing six already, and it looked like the reading and writing lessons she had been taking at the makeshift school were paying off. He unhooked the circlet of flowers from the plaque and gently opened the door. The room was dark, but the lights that lit the hallway behind him allowed him to see the back of tiny mage as she slept.

At the sight of her he dropped his barrier and reached out to her with his mind. 'Levy,' he prodded softly.

She immediately jolted upright in bed and turned stunned eyes in the direction of the light. Tears formed in her hazel eyes and a cry caught in her throat as she bounded from her place and into the waiting man's arms.

He caught her and brought her up, one arm closing around her back, the other holding her weight. He held her close as sobs racked her fragile body. She clung to him fiercely as he brought his lips to her neck, inhaling her scent like a man starved of oxygen. After a minute she leaned back and clasped his face with her hands.

"Where have you been?! Don't you ever do this to me again! You could have been dead! Why didn't you contact me?! I love you! I love you! I love you! You're back! You're safe!" Levy poured her thoughts from her mouth, knowing he could already hear them before they left her lips. There was just some sort of sweet release as she brought life to her feelings. She excitedly put her arms around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder. "I'm so glad you came back to me." she said quietly.

He kissed her jaw gently, "Aa. Me too."

He moved to set her feet back on the floor. Setting the ring of flowers on the crown of her head he regarded the woman he had given his life to. The blue hair that adorned her head lay in messy, wavy curls about her face. She had been growing it out, most likely not taking the time to think of something as frivolous as a haircut. The flimsy old white t-shirt she wore as a nightdress hung limply off one shoulder, but regardless of its large size, it did nothing to conceal her swollen midsection, the likes of which Gajeel leaned down to kiss.

Turning his ear to the bump, he closed his eyes and lingered there; listening to the rapid heartbeat of a new life. Levy gently stroked the long raven locks that he had pulled back as a safety measure during his mission. At her touch leaned his head up to look her in the eye. She had tears pooled in the corners of each eye, but her soft smile spoke volumes as to their purpose.

Gajeel could feel it too.

Despite the invasion, despite the death and hopelessness that seemed to linger around every corner, despite the tragedy and the fear, Levy dared to be content. Despite the odds, their bond broke through the fetters of defeat and despair and gave life to new hope.

That was, after all, the Fairy Tail way.

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**A/N:** If you in any way enjoyed this, make sure you check out **Miss Mungoe**'s story, _Ravaged_. Good Mavis, it's about the best thing I've ever read. She also has a short series featuring the twin paradox slayer theory, the same theory which inspired me to write what you just read.


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